sneck ner



2 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model'.)

W. SNEGK'NER.

SLEEPING CAR.

Patented June 14, 1892.

INVENTOI? W/T/VESSES 1p. m mp wn/n/ w ATTOR/VEK? 'm: "Dams PETERS (20.,worommm, WASNINGTON. o. c.

(No Model.) :2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. SNBOKNER.

SLEEPING GAR.

No. 477,157. Patented June 14, 1892.

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES:

MW .52 64M Tue uonms rn'sns 0a., mow-urns, WASNINGTONI u c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM SNECKNER, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,157, dated June 14,1892.

Application filed July 20, 1891. Serial No. 400,095. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM SNECKNER, of New York city, in the countyand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSleeping-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction ofsleeping-cars, and especially to theconstruetion of the berths thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a means whereby theupper berth of a section will be virtuallysuspended from the roof of thecar and may be expeditiously and conveniently elevated to a closeproximity to the roof and concealed when not in use or lowered to anydesired point between the roof and the lower berth, and to an engagementwith the latter when necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism whereby theupper berth when lowered to an engagement with the lower berth may belocked thereto and both berths elevated to the roof of the car andmaintained in that position until needed. B y this arrangement a maximumof headroom is obtained over the seats and the seats need not beemployed as receptacles for the bedding as at present.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the seats that thefront will fold or may be removed from the sides, admitting of thecushion being lowered below the seat-line and to hinge the back,enabling it to be folded down, taking the place of the seat andpresenting a table-surface for the lower berth to rest upon.

It is also an object of the invention to provide for the elevating ofthe lower berth from its support upon the seats to a vertical positionparallel and in engagement with the sides of the car and to maintain itin that position as long as desired, thereby enabling the seats to beused in dressing and undressing and affording room for convenientmovement of the person.

In addition to the above-enumerated novel features each section isprovided with station ary upper and lower partitions and. a slidingpanel in each of the lower partitions adapted for engagement with theupper partitions.

These partitions serve to separate the sec tions.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures and letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a partial longitudinal section through a car having theimprovements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through aportion of one side of the ear, the said section being taken just abovethe lower partitions dividing the sections. Fig. 3 is a transversesection through the car; and Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectionillustrating the manner in which the lower berth may be placed in avertical position to afford dress ing room.

The seats A are arranged at each side of a fixed partition 10,constituting the lower division of the sections B of the car, a secondfixed partition ll being secured to the sides and roof above each lowerpartition, and the latter partitions each containing a sliding panel 12,for which ways 13 are produced, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The panelshave cables or chains 14 attached, preferably, at their outer upperends, and said cables are carried upward over pulleys 15, located nearthe top of the car and into a chamber I), formed between the outer andinner walls of the structure, weigh ts 10 being secured to the free endsof the cables, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. The

chambers D extend the length of the car at I each side and also thelength of the roof at each side of the clear story.

\Vhen the car is in use as a day-coach, the panels 12 are concealed inthe lower fixed partitions and quite a space exists between them and theupper partitions; butwhen the car is to be used for sleeping purposesthe panels, assisted by the attached weights, are carried upward to andin connection with the upper partitions, thus rendering each sectionprivate, the front of the sections being closed in the ordinary manner.

A fixed curtain 17 is placed at the top in frontv of each section,extending downward about flush with the lower edge of the upperpartition. These curtains, together with the upper partitions, defineupper compartments B, (best shown in Fig. 3,) in which both the upperand lower berths E and E are located and practically concealed when notin use..

The berths constitute the prime feature of the invention. They arepractically of rectangular shape, provided with closed bottom sections,and their side and end sections are of suitable height to accommodatethe usual furniture.

The lower berth E'when in use rests upon two seats; but the upper berthE is suspended by four cables 18, one of which is attached at eachcorner. These cables are carried upward through suitable openings 19 inthe innor wall of the roof of the car and over pulleys 20 into the upperportion of the chambers D of the car-body. In the drawings the pulleysover which the cables located at the front of the berths pass aresupported by the upper partitions of the sections, and the pul leys overwhich the other cables are carried are located within the chambers D;but the location of the pulleys and the manner of leading the cablesinto the chambers D may be varied as demanded by the construction of thecar-body and the character of the partitions employed for the sections.

Each upper berth is raised and lowered in dependently, and this isordinarily accomplished in the following manner and as illustrated: Ashaft 21 is provided for each section, journaled in suitable bearingsatone side of a lower partition. One end of the shaft extends out intothe aisle a short distance and the other end within the chamber D, asshown in Fig. 3. A drum or pulley 22 is secured to each shaft within thesaid chambers and the cables attached to the upper berths are led downand attached to the dru ms,

or a single cable 23 may be fastened to each drum, having thefour-cables of the upper berth attached thereto. The upper berths areguided in their upward and downward movement and prevented from swayinglaterally by attaching to their outer sides, near each end, a lug 24,the said lugs being preferably T-shaped, as illustrated in Fig. 2, andthe shanks of the lugs are adapted to travel in grooves 25, formedvertically in the inner wall of the car-body, the heads of the lugsbeing within the chambers D. Each lower berth is provided with anopening 26 in its bottom at each end, as is likewise best shown in Fig.2, and two latch-bars 27 and 28 are longitudinally placed upon thebottom of each upper berth, the said latch-bars extending over theopenings 26 and terminating at the center of the berths, at which pointthey are pivotally connected with a rod 29, said rod extending throughthe outer side of the berth and having a head 30 formed at its outerextremity. The outer ends of the latch-bars are spanned ,by staples 31or their equivalents, which staples serve to guide the bars in theirmovements. When the rod 29 is drawn outward, the outer ends of thelatches are carried inward away from the openings 26; but when the rod29 is pressed inward the latches extend over the openings. These latchesare adapted to enter keepers 32, secured to and projecting above the endsections of the lower berths. By this arrangement a lower berth may beconnected with the upper one and carried within the compartment B of itssection when not in use, and this is effected as follows: The rod 29 ofthe upper berth is drawn outward, carrying the latches from over theopenings 26, and the said berth is then lowered by manipulating theshaft 21 until it engages with the berth beneath it. Then this occurs,the keepers of the lower berth will have entered the openings 26 of theupper berth. The rod 29 is then pressed inward, restoring the latches totheir normal position, whereupon the outer ends of the latches willengage with the keepers and the two berths will be securely lockedtogether. The shafts 21 are prevented from rotating when the upper berthhas been carried to the desired location through the medium ofkeeper-plates 33, located, preferably, upon the seats A around theshafts, which keeper-plates are provided with a series of recesses intowhich pawls 34 are entered, said pawls being also located upon theseats, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and the shafts are rotated through themedium of cranks 35, if desired; butIdesire it to bedistinctlyunderstood that any equivalent of the crank or thekeeper-plate and pawl may be employed without departing from the spiritof the invention.

The construction of the seats A is peculiar, the peculiarity consistingin the fact that the front sections 36 of the seats are hinged orpivoted at their lower edges to drop downward and provided with bolts 37or equivalent locking devices to secure said sections in a verticalposition when the seats are to be used. The seat-bottoms 38 areremovable and when in position their forward edges rest upon ribs 39,formed upon the upper inner surfaces of the sections 36, and extensions40 are located at the lower rear surfaces of the seat-bottoms, which aresupported by shelf-extensions 41, attached to the partitions 10. Thespace back of the sections 36 and below the bottom line of the seats isopen, and when a lower berth is to be made up the bottoms of the seatsare placed in these spaces, cushions up, the front sections of the seatsbeing first let down. The backs 42 of the seats are hinged or pivoted attheir edges, enabling them to be dropped, cushions downward, to anengagement with the cushions of the bottoms and taking the I place ofthe removed bottoms, as shown in the center section, Fig. 1, and in Fig.4. As the rear faces of the seat-backs are of a hard material, theypresent a table-like surface upon which the lower berths are supported.hen

the seats are made up, the cushions of the bottom, by engagement withthe back-cushions, hold the latter erect, as is illustrated at the rightin Fig. 1.

It is very desirable in the construction of sleeping-ears to provideroom for persons to conveniently dress and undress in the lower berths.This result is conveniently attained by the following means: In the sidewall of each section of the car, preferably near each end wall, anopening 43 is produced in which openings pulleys are located. Cables 44are passed over the pulleys into the chambers D, and weights 15 areattached to the lower ends of the cables, their upper ends, which extendout into the sections, being provided with an attached hook 46 or theequivalent thereof. These hooks serve to prevent the outer ends of thecables from passing over the pulleys, and are also adapted forengagement with pins 47 or their equivalents, secured one to each end ofthe lower berth at or near its side facing the outer wall of the ear.

\Vhen it is desired to dress or undress or to have room in a section toreadily move about, the cables at by means of their hooks are attachedto the pins 47, and the lower berth is thereby raised, through themedium of the weights 45 and the assistance of the operator, to avertical position in engagement and parallel with the side wall of thesection, as is shown in the central section, Fig. 1, and in detail inFig. 4. The berth may be readily restored to its normal position uponthe seats by disengaging the cables 41 and permitting the berth to slidedown to a horizontal position.

In the operation of the improvements, the berths being made up asillustrated at the left in Fig. l and it being desirable to carry themup out of the way so as to clear the section, the shaft 21 ismanipulated in a manner to lower the upper berth until it rests upon thelower one, and, as heretofore stated, when this action takes place thelatches 27 and 28 are manipulated to lock the two berths together. Whenthis accomplished, the shaft 21 is again revolved to wind up the cablesattached to the upperberth and both berths are carried upward into theupper compartment B of the section behind the curtain 17, as shown atthe left in Fig. 3 and at the right in Fig. 1. The backs of the seats inthe section are then thrown upward to a vertical position, the bottomsare lifted from their position within the frame, the front sections ofthe seat are locked to place, and the bottoms are placed in their properposition in the frame, as shown to the left in Fig. 1. \Vhen a sec tionis to be made up for sleeping purposes, the bottoms of the seats areplaced within the frames and their backs are lowered to ahorizontalposition. Both the berths are then lowered until the lower berth restsupon the seats, at which time the latches 27 and 28 are operated torelease the upper from the lower berth, and the upper berth is thencarried upward to its proper elevation and the lifting mechanism islocked.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In the construction of a sleeping-car, an upperberth having vertical movement, a lower berth independent of the upperone, looking devices capable of uniting the two berths, and an elevatingmechanism connected with only one of the berths, substantially asdescribed.

2. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with an upperberth movable vertically in a horizontal position, of a lower andindependent berth of equal size with the upper one and adapted forcontact with the upper berth, a latch device carried by one berth,keepers connected with the other berth, and a hoisting mechanismconnected with only one of the berths, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In the construction ofa sleeping-car, the combination, with an upperberth and an ole vating mechanism connected therewith, of a support atthe bottom of the car, a lower berth removable from its support andindependent of the upper-berth, and locking devices whereby the twoberths may be connected and disconnected, disconnected when in positionfor use and connected when in their storage po' sition, as and for thepurpose specified.

4. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with an upperberth, cables attached to the berth near its corners, and an elevatingmechanism connected with the cables and capable of operation from theaisle of the car, of a lower berth independent of the upper one and ofsubstantially equal size, the lower berth being adapted to rest upon theseats of a section, a latch located in the bottom of one berth, andkeepers carried by the upper berth to be engaged by said latch,substantially as described, whereby the upper berth may be manipulatedalone or employed as a medium for raising orlowering the lower one, asset forth.

5. In the construction of a sleeping-car, an inclosed chamber located inthe roof-section of the car, an upper berth having vertical movement, alower berth independent of the upper one, yet capable of a lockingengagement with the upper berth, and a hoisting mechanism connected withone of the berths, whereby the berths may be elevated through the mediumof but one hoisting mechanism into the inclosed roof-chamber andmaintained therein, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with an upperberth provided with an opening in its bottom and in its ends and latchesheld to slide over said openings and operated from the front of theberth, of a hoisting mechanism connected with the upper berth, a supportlocated in the bottom of the car, a lower berth. adapted for engage- IIOment with the support, yet removable therefrom and independent of theupper berth, the lower berth being provided with keepers to enteropenings in the upper berth, and latches carried by the upper berth forengagement with the keepers in the lower one, as and for .the purposeset forth.

7. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with asupport and a berth sus-' tained by and yet removable from the support,of a lifting mechanism located in the car-body, a portion of themechanism being located immediately above the berth, and a detachableconnection between the lifting mechanism and the berth near one side ofthe latter, whereby the berth may be raised to a vertical position fromits support and maintained in that position, providing room fordressing, &c., and whereby, also, the berth may be restored to itshorizontal position, when desired, substantially as set forth.

8. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with asupport and a berth removable from this support, of weighted cablesattached to the berth at one side of its frame and means, substantiallyas shown and described, for releasing the cable from the berth when thelatter is to be lowered to a horizontal position, the cables carrying itto a vertical position, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with thelower berth thereof removable from supports provided for it, of cableslocated partially within and partially without a chamber formed in thecar-body, the said cables being provided with weights at their innerends and a grappling device at their outer ends, the latter beingadapted for attachment to the berth at one side thereof, whereby whenthe grapples are attached to the berth it will be carried from ahorizontal to a vertical position substantially parallel with the wallof the chamber in which the actuating-weights are located, as and forthe purpose set forth.

10. In the construction of a sleeping-car, a seat constructed with thefront section removable from its frame, an interior chamber, a removablebottom, a hinged back, and a lockin g engagement between the back andthe seat, whereby the back may be maintained in a vertical position, asand for the purpose specified.

11. In the construction of a sleeping-car, a seat constructed with itsfront section hinged to fall downward and provided with an interiorchamber, a removable bottom capable of being stored in said chamber, anda back hinged at its lower end to drop downward as a substitute for thebottom, the said back being supported by the front section when in thehorizontal position, as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with thelower partition of a section and an upper partition spaced therefrom andforming a portion of the root-sec tion, of a movable panel located inthe lower partition and a hoisting device, substantially as shown anddescribed, through the medium of which the panel may be made to engagewith the upper partition, thereby connecting the upper and the lowerpartitions, as and for the purpose specified.

13. In the construction of a sleeping-car, the combination, with thelower partition of a section and an upper partition in verticalalignment therewith and constituting virtually a portion of the roofstructure, of a panel loosely fitted in the lower partition and aweighted cable attached to the panel, whereby the said panel whendesired may be elevated to an engagement with the upper partition andmaintained in such position, as and for the purpose set forth.

\NILLIAM SN ECKNER.

Witnesses:

E. M. CLARK, F. W. HANAFORD.

